North Carolina, Duke pairs take NFL invites after draft

A pair of North Carolina football players bypassed in the NFL Draft after late-season injuries will try to latch on NFL rosters as nondrafted players.

Quarterback Bryn Renner and offensive lineman James Hurst agreed to terms with organizations after the draft ended during the weekend.

Renner will go to the Denver Broncos as a free agent. Hurst is headed to the Baltimore Ravens.

“I want an opportunity to make a team,” Renner said.

Hurst had hoped that his performance in the 2013 season opener against South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney, a defensive end who was the overall No. 1 pick in the draft, would give him some clout.

“It’s good to have that on film. They can see that on film,” Hurst said. “… At the end of the day, these guys are going to draft off game film.”

But Hurst was bypassed, perhaps some concerns with a broken leg he suffered in December’s Belk Bowl. He was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team selection in 2013. He started a school-record 49 games.

Two Duke players also agreed to terms to join the Broncos organization. Undrafted defensive end Kenny Anunike and running back Juwan Thompson are set to head to Denver.

Anunike, is one of two players in Duke history to lead the Blue Devils in sacks three consecutive seasons.

Thompson rushed 274 times for 1,244 yards (4.54) and nine touchdowns and caught 56 passes for 397 yards and three scores in his Duke career. He also returned 15 kickoffs.